Longwood University’s Office of University Advancement continues to face transition with the departure of Dr. Bryan Rowland, former chief development officer, and the office’s new focus on the Annual Fund.
In a Jan.17 email sent to faculty and staff regarding Rowland’s resignation and the Office of University Advancement, Vice President for Commonwealth Relations Brenda Atkins reported that Victoria Kindon plans to work with the Annual Giving staff to give “fresh attention” to the fund.
The Annual Fund is described on the Annual Giving webpage as “the university's only unrestricted account that provides aid to areas of most critical need.”
According to President W. Taylor Reveley IV, plans for the special focus on the Annual Fund were in motion before Rowland transitioned to the position of special assistant to the president on Jan. 16.
The university’s $41 million, seven-year capital campaign, which Rowland was heavily involved with during his time in the Office of University Advancement, closed in September 2013.
Reveley said individuals in fundraising positions often begin searching for campaign opportunities at other institutions following a major campaign, describing it as a “natural transition after a campaign wraps up.”
Regarding Rowland’s change in position, Reveley said that he and Rowland “figured that it might be best for [Rowland] and the next steps in his career if he had more time to focus on that and not be worried about some of the administrative responsibilities for the office.”
While Rowland’s contract runs through June, Reveley said there is a “kind of a continuation to the contract,” and he will receive the salary that is already set. He said Rowland will serve as an advisor and special assistant to the president.
Franklin Grant is senior associate vice president for University Advancement following Rowland’s departure. Reveley said Grant will take care of “more administrative responsibilities for the running of the office,” as “gifts are coming in they need to be recorded and processed.”
As for the new focus on the Annual Fund, Reveley said the university has approached fundraising in a “tried and true traditional way” with phone calls and letters up until this point.
“What’s exciting is to think about what more we can achieve if we go about it in a more data- driven, high tech way, using social media and things like that to reach a broader set of alumni ... not necessarily aiming for big donations but instead to get more and more people contributing,” Reveley said.
Reveley added that the Annual Fund is the “main driver of the other kinds of fundraising you can do.”
He said the fund indicates who may be interested in donating a major gift, which he said is typically tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that the fund “gives you a sense as to which alumni have jobs or affiliations with organizations or companies that make gifts to universities.”
Reveley said a major goal is to increase the percentage of alumni who donate annually.
